Sodium aluminate



Patented Oct. 17, 1933 SODIUM ALUMINATE LeslieMarshall. Clark and Henry Mills Spittle,

Northwich, England,

assignors to Imperial Chemical Industries, Limited, 11011110711, 8 I v. ,land, a British Company. v

No Drawing. Application July'8, 1932, Serial 1 No..621,510, and in Great .Britain July l7,

The present invention relates to processes of obtaining sodium "aluminate from aluminous ores such as bauxite, and'is based on our observation that sodium aluminate crystallizes 5 from strongly alkaline-solution with adefinite chemical composition at certain'jtemperatures and concentrations. Accordin'glythe invention comprises a process of obtainingcrystalline so-" dium aluminate of definite composition by controlling the composition and concentration of sodium aluminate solutions'and effecting crystallization at certain temperatures.

Sodium aluminate is commonly obtained by treating natural hydrated aluminum oxide, such as bauxite, etc., with caustic, soda or with soda ash at superatmospheric pressures. After purification", the solutions are concentrated and used as such or they are evaporated to dryness whereby semifused masses are obtained, which on cooling solidify and are broken up.

Our novel process of allowing sodium aluminate to crystallize from aqueous,-alkaline solu-- solutions except as to the content of free alkalitherein. I

In the preparation of the sodium aluminate solution, we can, for instance, use a solu- 40 tion of NaOl-I and extract bauxite with this solu- 1 tion at l20-130 C. A sodium aluminate liquor having a ratio of about'1.9-2Na2O to 1A12O3 is thus obtained. In order to facilitate crystallization it is preferred that the composition of the liquor should not differ much from this ratio,

i. e. it should lie within the range 1.5-2.5Naz0 to 1A1203. Any adjustment that maybe required for this purpose is accordingly made.

The so obtained extraction liquor is filtered or otherwise freed from solid impurities present.

To facilitate filtration, it may be desirable to dilute the liquor to a concentration of about 28% of solids, expressed as NazO+AlzO3.

In carrying out the crystallization of the so- .dium aluminate from this solution, it is most eseventuallyv toproduce the anhydrous product.

and provided with a vertical annular partition, with means to circulate the liquor through the roams. (01. 342) sential that the conditions of the crystallizations are carefully controlled, such thatcrystals corresponding either to the compound H N aQAlZOJQHzO or NazO.A12o3 5 I are obtained as'the solid phase. To obtain the hydrated compound, the concentration of the liquor, expressed in terms of N&2O+A12Oa, shouldbe within the range 45-65% and preferably around 55% and the liquor'cooledto below about 5 C T K To obtain anhydrous sodium aluminate, the liquor should be concentrated to about'78%fand crystallization effected at higher" temperatures, e. g. 100 C. or over. p

The sodium aluminate liquor used for the crystallization operation, according to our invention, is accordinglyadjusted within the stated ranges, normally by reconcentration, dependingon the product desired. I 75 V -Toassist-the crystallization," the liquor may be suitably seeded. When acon'tinuous process is operated,'this is usually'un-necessary in view of the presence of solid matter from preceding operations. The crystal's'are freed as completely as possible from adhering mother liquor (e. g. by

. centrifuging) :and, if anda's required, washed and/or driedn In case the magma of crystals and mother liquor resulting from the crystallization is too thick for convenient handling; it may bediluted withfaatsuitable proportion; e.,'g.- 35% of mother liquor -.fromfa previous operation.

Waterof crystallization may be removed from the hydrated compound, for example by heating,

In carrying'out the crystallization, we have found it advantageous to employ a vessel, the shape of which is similar to the crystallizing vessel described in British patent specification #333,598, 1. ea vessel having a curved bottom central and-annular 1 spaces in contrary directions.

proportion of solid seed crystals. The tempera ture of the liquor is then allowed to raun' m about 80 C. to 30 C. when'sodium aluminate hydrate of the formula NazO.A1zOs.2I-Iz0 crys tallizes out in an amount corresponding to about 48% of the reaction mass, leaving."52% or mother'i liquor containing 28% Naz0 and 3% A1203; the crystals are separated from the motherliquor as for instance by centrifuging through nickel gauze. V o

The so obtained sodium aluminate hydrate is stable and easily soluble in water. i

The corresponding-anhydrous sodium aluminate of the'forinula NazO.AlzO3"is obtained in a similar manner by adjusting a sodium, aluminate solution to contain an excess of caustic (Nazo from 1.5 to 2.5 part: A1203 1 part) concentrating said solution to about 78% a and allowing this solution to crystallize and separating the crystals from the mother liquor all at a temperature above 100 C. i r Y We claim: 7 7

1. Process forthe production of sodium aluminate which comprises extracting bauxite 'or other aluminous ore so as to obtain a liquor having a Na O A1203 ratio of 1.5-2.5 1, and crystallizing said liquor to yieldeither the hydrated compound Na2O.A12O3, the hydrated compound being obtained when the concentration .ofthe liquor, expressed as NazO+Al2O3, is within the 7 range 45-65%, and theranhydrous compound. when the concentration; of the liquor is about.78% and the temperature-of crystallization about 100 C. or

over. I

2..A,pr,ocess of making a crystalline sodium aluminate which comprises preparing an aqueous solution. of sodium aluminate. of a'composition.

within the range of 1.5-2.5 NazO to lAlzOa, ad-

justing said solution to a concentration of over.

45% expressed in terms of NazO+Al2O3, cooling said solution and separating the crystals of sodium aluminate formed from their mother liquor.

3. In a process oi making a crystalline sodium position within the range of 1.5-2.5Naz0 to 1Al203, adjusting said solution to a concentracan or over 45% expressed in terms of NazO -i-l A1203, adjusting the cooling temperature in respect to the concentration so that within the range. oi concentrations between 45 and 65% the "coolingtemperature is below 100 C. and at concentrations .ofabout.78% the cooling temperature is above about 100 C.

4. In a process of making a crystalline sodium aluminate hydrate, the steps which comprise preparing an aqueous solution of sodium aluminate of a composition within the range of 1.5- 2.5Naz0 to 1Al203, adjusting said solution to a concentration of'irom 45- to 65%-expressed in terms oi NagQ+AlzO3 and cooling said solution to a temperature of below 100 C.

51 In'j'a process of making a crystalline sodium alumii a eh d a 'f ps which om r s 100: paring an aqueous solution of sodium aluminate of a composition of about 1.9 2Na 2Q to lAlzOa, adjusting said solution to a concentration of about 55% expressed in terms of Na o i-Alzoa and cooling it to from 80 to 30- C.

' 6."I'n a process of making an anhydrous crystalline sodium aluminate, the steps which com; prise preparing an aqueous solution of; sodium aluminate of a composition within the rangeof 1.5-2.5Na 0 to 141203, adjusting said solution to 119 a concentration oi about 78% expressed in terms of Na2Q +Al2Q3, cooling said solution to a tern: peratureynot below 100% C. and separating the crystals .-formed from their mother liquor.

7. In a process of making sodiumjaluminate, r

the steps of" preparing an aqueous solution of sodium aluminate of a composition within the range 1.5 to 2.5NazO to 1Al203, adjusting said, solution to a concentration. of 45-65% expressed in terms of Na2O+Al2O3, cooling saidsolution to 120. crystallize out NazQAlzOaflHzO and adding, to the resulting magma a suitable proportion of mother liquor from a previous operation to facilitate handling of the said magma.

LESLIE MARSHALL CLARK. HENRY MILLS SBITTLE. 

